


At the Bottom of the Well

by ColourlessZero



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Historical Fantasy, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Royalty, Shapeshifting, Spirits
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-08-23 22:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8345761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColourlessZero/pseuds/ColourlessZero
Summary: The fifth prince, Akaashi Keiji, was a man shrouded in rumour and speculation. The fifth prince couldn't care less about the subtle intricacies of the imperial court and contented himself with living in books and stories. The fifth prince found a fish at the bottom of the well and the tale of his past unfolds.





	1. The Grave

**Author's Note:**

> What am I doing? WHAT AM I DOING? I'm supposed to be finishing the final chapter of another fic and I'm supposed to be writing gay porn right now. What happened? OTL
> 
> Enjoy the result of my procrastination, dear reader. A historical fantasy AU featuring AkaSuga

It always rained on this day for as long as Akaashi remembered. It was never just a light rain either. It was the sort of rain that submerged the world in clear water and made all warmth impossible, the kind that seeped into his bones and made his teeth chatter uncontrollably.

Still, on this day every year Akaashi stood in a bamboo forest drenched head to toe holding an umbrella over his mother’s grave. Water soaked into his shoes and his ice-blue robes clung heavy on his skin, waterlogged from this seemingly never ending rain. Everything about this place was cold. The grey tombstone that replaced his mother’s face in his feeble memories, the bamboo around him that resembled green jade more than anything alive and all that rain running, dripping and splashing everywhere because the earth could hold no more and it had nowhere else to go. Even Akaashi himself was cold. He hardly thought of his mother at any other time of the year.

 _Fitting weather for the Tragic Prince_ , Akaashi joked to himself.

He couldn’t say he remembered much of his mother, since she died when he was still small. On this one rainy day he would trace her name engraved in stone and wonder what she was like. All he knew was her name and that she had loved him very much.

Because she loved him he showed his love by holding an umbrella over the sticks of incense he himself lit earlier so that they may keep burning. He would let the rain drown his skin until the incense burned down to little stubs and he would let himself shiver and shake with illness afterwards, but he would never let his mother’s spirit starve. This was all he could do for her as her son.

If he were any other prince no less than a dozen servants would flutter about to hold an umbrella over his head and never let him lift a finger. Maybe they would even fetch better wine for him to pour for his mother. As it was, he wasn’t a very important prince. Flanked on either side of him were his two servants and dear friends Sarukui and Komi. They didn’t fuss over him because they understood that this was something only he could do for his mother. So they stood with him in the rain, heads bowed low in respect.

Struck with a strange sense of morbid curiosity Akaashi asked them, “The well is being demolished today, is it not?”

Sarukui’s mop of dark brown hair was flat on his scalp, saturated with rain. He regarded his prince with mild concern. Blinking water out of his eyes he answered, “Yes, your Highness.”

Even on this day Akaashi couldn’t hear Sarukui’s smile in his voice and Sarukui was someone who always smiled.

“I would like to visit it.”

“Would that be wise, your Highness?” Komi asked, tucking frigid hands into soggy sleeves. He always spoke his mind, something rare for a servant. Undesirable even. But that was what Akaashi liked about Komi.

“It would be the last time. For remembrance’s sake.”

“As you wish.”

Akaashi brought the umbrella back above his head. The incense had all burned to ash. He was not sure if there was any point in using an umbrella since he was drenched already.

Slowly, they descended from the bamboo forest with sodden shoes and soaked hems sloshing about in puddles. The imperial palace was nothing short of a sprawling city in its own right. The imperial palace was so big he often forgot about the walls until he saw them. Since he was an unimportant prince there wasn’t much stopping him from leaving its walls a handful of times. He never did get up to anything wild and nefarious, much to Bokuto’s disappointment. Akaashi usually left the walls to buy paintings, bid on some rare books and attend the odd play or two.

After they passed through a maze of lattice woodwork depicting owls in flight, pavilions with sweeping roofs, immaculate stone gardens with patterns traced in sand and criss-crossing bridges over Akaashi’s favourite lotus pond they finally reached the well.

It stood in the corner of a small courtyard filled with the most fragrant of flowers not yet in bloom. The courtyard also contained a thicket of cherry trees. It was not spring yet so empty twigs and branches drooped with rain. The well sat in a slight dip in the ground where the rain made a small pond around it over glistening pebbles. Water rippled from Akaashi’s feet with every step as he approached the well.

There were a great many wells in the palace. The East Well, the Emperor’s Well, the Azure Pavilion Well–but when anyone said “the well” everybody knew exactly which one the speaker was referring to.

It was the one Consort Nagahara, his lady mother, drowned in.

How strange it was that something so horrible happened in such a beautiful place.

Nobody was there. The demolition was probably going to be some time in the afternoon then. An odd sense of relief washed over him. Was it nostalgia? The well was a strange part of his history after all. Most of which he couldn’t actually remember. It was also the place from which many rumours and wild tales were spun.

His mother drowned in the well. That much was true. She had taken him with her after being cornered by insurgents. In a desperate attempt to preserve them both she threw them down the well. Miraculously, Akaashi survived unharmed, cradled in his mother’s stone cold arms.

Some said he wasn’t quite human after that experience, having gained the favour of the gods who gave him unearthly beauty and supreme intelligence. Some claimed melancholy clung to the fifth prince like a lonely ghost and he was doomed to a lifetime of misfortune.

All of them agreed it was a horrible accident and so they crowned him “The Tragic Prince”.

People said many things but, of course, none of these rumours were true. He never bothered correcting anyone though. Their stories made him sound much more colourful and exciting than he actually was. They amused him more than anything.

Gently, he rested his palm on the lip of the well. If he just barely touched the stone he could feel the rain running in the miniscule spaces between his palm and the well like a second skin. Pressing his palm firmly to the stone it felt more like rough ice. It leeched warmth from his fingers and left behind an ache that crept into his very being. Staring down into the depths of the well he tried to remember what had happened all those years ago when he was only small. All that came to him was someone whose face he couldn’t recall offering him a lolly that tasted like sugared lotus seeds. That definitely wasn’t any memory that came with drowning in a cold, dark well with his mother’s arms wrapped around him.

Perhaps he was craving something sweet.

The steady rain beating against his umbrella was interrupted by a loud splash. Akaashi jolted. He could have sworn the sound came from inside the well. Leaning over the lip of the well Akaashi squinted down into the darkness.

“Your Highness, be careful!” Komi’s hand dashed out to hang on to Akaashi’s arm.

“Something is at the bottom of the well.” In the darkness he can just see it. Small, indistinct flashes of white and silver. Komi tugged firmly at his arm but he wouldn’t budge.

Sarukui definitely wasn’t smiling. Pale-faced he too leaned over to take a look. “Th-there’s something,” he agrees with a shaking voice.

“It’s best to leave spirits alone,” Komi said, much to Sarukui’s relief.

That was one of many rumours. His mother becoming an ugly, vicious spirit trapped in the well.

Akaashi bristled and replied coldly, “If it is indeed my mother’s vengeful spirit then she will have no reason to harm me.” That particular rumour he wasn’t fond of at all. Perhaps it was time he had corrected one of them. Fire smoldered inside him and he resolved to get to the bottom of that well. “Find me some rope and lower me down,” he commanded.

Komi tucked his hands into his sleeves and bowed low. “Your Highness, I beg you to reconsider.”

Sarukui did the same, “Please, reconsider.”

Princes who had no favour with their father, the emperor, were often denied and ignored by even the lowliest of servants. Akaashi was one of these princes. He had few wants and desires so he was content to fade into the background and live out his life in peace. He had no interest in political affairs and people’s manipulative games.

However, in regards to his dear mother, he refused to be denied.

“Find me some rope,” Akaashi repeated slowly, “and lower me down.”

In the end they had no choice but to obey. He had his billowing sleeves tied back and his robes hoisted up and out of the way. Tying the thick rope around his torso he knew it was stupid and dangerous going down a well on a rainy day. Especially a well he nearly died in. The sound of water splashing, falling and dripping only spurred him on. The desire to uncover this small mystery stoked his curiosity. He was also determined to prove that it was not a spirit of any kind.

At the very bottom his feet lightly touched slippery rock covered in algae. Bracing his hands on the walls he felt squishy mosses growing between mortared stone. There wasn’t much water at the bottom of the well, which was why it was being demolished in the first place. All this rain however, created a shallow puddle in the middle, inside which lay a silvery fish.

It struggled violently in the puddle, mouth opening and closing in an attempt to breathe.

“Fetch me a pail. Quickly!” He called up to Sarukui and Komi. Their silhouettes at the top of the well nodded in assent before one of them disappeared.

Before long a pail was lowered down, clattering against the stone it landed beside Akaashi with a small plop. Akaashi quickly scooped as much water as he could into the pail. He cupped the fish in his hands, elegant fins spilling over his fingers like fine silk. It seemed to understand he was trying to help as it stopped struggling and laid still in his hands. With careful hands and delicate touches he slipped the fish into the pail where it unfurled itself. It was a little cramped, but the water was just deep enough for it to breathe properly.

He looked up at the top of the well where his friends were nervously waiting for him. “Pull me back up!”

Holding the pail close to him Akaashi was enthralled with the animal. It was beautiful. Its scales glowed like it was made of moonlight and crushed pearls. The silver fish appeared to be watching him too, nosing at the surface of the water.

When Sarukui and Komi hoisted him out of the well he showed them the fish with a smug smile. This was clearly no vengeful spirit and he told them so.


	2. The Fish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mysterious fish lives in Akaashi's bathtub while he decides what to do with it.

The rain stopped just as suddenly as it started when night fell, as though the sky had no more tears left to cry. Fat, heavy clouds all but evaporated leaving a shimmering river of stars suspended in the dark fabric of the night sky.

While Akaashi disliked getting drenched and how cold the rain was he loved the distinct scent of petrichor, an earthy smell mixed with stone and a subtle sweetness that made him imagine vast, grassy plains extending towards the mountains. He drank in the scent drifting through the open window.

Sitting next to a wooden bathtub with a cloak draped over his shoulders and soft shadows wrapped around him he had the candles put out so he could better see the stars. It was a new moon tonight as well, making the stars shine just a little more brilliantly. However, while the stars shone and glittered like small diamonds Akaashi was too distracted to appreciate them. Leaning his forearms on the edge of the tub his gaze remained transfixed on the fish currently swimming in it, translucent fins trailing behind it like a silk veil.

In hindsight he could have set it free as he passed one of the many ponds in the palace. Instead, he brought it to his chambers. There was something about the fish he couldn’t let go of. It wasn’t the feeling of possession. No, he did not want to own the fish. It’s free to go wherever it pleases, though Akaashi couldn’t explain how the fish got in the well in the first place. There was something important he had forgotten. But if it was so important why didn't he remember?

It seemed it will remain a mystery and Akaashi contented himself with watching the fish.

Rolling his sleeve up, his cloak fell away from one shoulder but he paid it no mind. He dipped his hand in the cool water and trailed his fingers through it. Gentle ripples swam across the surface of the water.

To his surprise the fish was friendly. There was no trace of hesitation when it came close to his hand and gave it an affectionate nuzzle, resting itself right in his palm.

He wasn't expecting that at all. Feeling bold, Akaashi gently stroked its flowing fins. Slightly slimy, they felt as fine and delicate as they looked. The fins slipped through his fingers.

“So beautiful. Light made flesh,” he whispered.

The fish wriggled away from his fingers and scooted all the way to the other side of the tub. It hid behind its fins and refused to look at Akaashi.

Akaashi blinked and the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile. “A shy fish?”

In response the fish curled up tightly, trying its best to make itself small.

“But you're so lovely. You are a beautiful fish.”

Akaashi didn't know fish were capable of looking surprised. It recovered quickly though, and sank down to the bottom of the tub, hiding behind fins and shadows.

“Oh, don't hide. How can I see you when you're all the way down there?”

The night continued in much the same manner. He would compliment the fish to high heaven until it became so flustered it wouldn't look at him. Then he'd try to coax it into coming back to the surface. It was a wonder the fish understood him at all. The fish was adorable and he laughed a lot talking to it. More than he ever did when talking with people. He’d dare say spending time with the fish was almost more fun than reading an untranslated book from some far-flung nation.

The next morning the servants found him fast asleep by the bathtub, his head tucked into the crook of his elbow. The bottoms of his billowing sleeves dipped into the water, where the fish was floating just beneath the surface watching over the sleeping prince.

A beautiful fish found at the bottom of an unlucky well and a sleeping prince. This image alone was the catalyst for a whole slew of rumours that entertained Akaashi to no end.

Some said it was his mother reincarnated as a fish to visit him on the anniversary of her death. The most ridiculous one Sarukui told him between peals of laughter was that the fish was the moon god, here to woo the prince. People were strange and creative.

The only thing that mattered to Akaashi was it destroyed all theories about his mother as a bitter and ugly ghost haunting the well.

Some days later the fish still lived in his bathtub. He had a spare bathtub dragged in so he could wash himself. He still hadn’t decided what he wanted to do with the fish. Everyday he would wave away the thought of moving the fish elsewhere. _An answer will come to me tomorrow_ , he reasoned. The problem was the answer was clear as day and it really was the only one: set the fish free.

A bathtub was no place for a fish. It belonged in a beautiful lake, where the seasons would paint the surrounding hills in different colours and the purest water in the world trickled down from sprawling mountains. A place where it could live freely, find a good mate and make many more beautiful fish it would be proud of.

Trying not to think about sending his aquatic friend away Akaashi read the same sentence for the fifth time. The words didn’t seem to stick and his mind refused to find meaning in them. Akaashi rubbed at his aching temples and sipped at tea he couldn’t taste. Perhaps a break would be helpful.

“His Highness, the Crown Prince, has arrived!”

_Bokuto! He’s back!_

Abandoning his book altogether Akaashi leapt to his feet and sprinted out of his study. At the sight of servants he forced his legs to slow down to long strides more befitting of a prince. He straightened his back and smoothed over his face with the elegant, neutral mask he perfected. As the footsteps of servants faded down the corridor he leaned forward and broke into a run, his robes fisted in his hands and pulled away from his scampering feet.

He stopped just outside the hall, where he knew Bokuto and his retinue of servants would be waiting. Taking a moment to catch his breath he smoothed out his robes and tried to rein in the happiness bursting in his chest. Bokuto was finally home.

Akaashi instantly recognised the strong back of his brother. Hands crossed over behind his back Bokuto stood like a mountain, proud and confident. Bokuto was everything a king should be. His hair was as unruly as ever, though most of it was contained in a topknot held together by a black and silver headpiece engraved with owl’s wings, the symbol of the Crown Prince. Unkempt hair seemed to run in the family with the exception of Konoha. His mother, Lady Akiyama, was a great beauty with silky hair the same colour as the shimmering deserts of her homeland.

As Akaashi stepped over the threshold Bokuto turned to face him. His face was all severe angles and his golden eyes were as sharp and cold as the steel he wielded on the battlefield. Looking down the line of his broken nose he fixed Akaashi with a commanding stare.

Bokuto hadn't changed much since the last time they saw each other. The only difference Akaashi could spot was a new scar above his brow.

Akaashi tucked his hands into his sleeves. Eyes dipped low towards the hem of Bokuto’s black, gold and silver silks, he bowed. “Your Highness.”

Bokuto gave him a curt nod and raised his hand toward Akaashi palm up, silently giving him permission to stand upright. “Prince Akaashi.” Addressing his dozen servants he commanded, “Leave us.”

When the last servant left Bokuto’s face softened and his eyes were filled with warmth. Spreading his arms out he bounded towards Akaashi. Akaashi did the same and they crashed into a bone-crushing bear hug. Bokuto thumped his back, knocking the wind out of him. The strength coiled up in Bokuto’s arms could snap a man’s bones. He didn’t always know his strength, but Akaashi knew his older brother was trying his best.

“Akaashi!” Bokuto hollered right by Akaashi’s ear.

“You’re crushing me,” Akaashi hissed, “and you’re making me go deaf.” He winced. Bokuto still needed to work on his inside voice.

Akaashi flicked his forehead. Bokuto just laughed that booming laugh of his. They always joked since they were young that forehead flicks had no effect on Bokuto because he had such a thick skull.

“Shall we walk?” Akaashi suggested. It was a tradition for them. Every time Bokuto returned they would walk and end up walking everywhere in Akaashi’s household.

“Of course. It’s always so peaceful here.”

“A new scar.” Akaashi gestured at Bokuto’s face. It seemed to be a deep cut, skin already fused over to form a harsh white line that stood out from his skin. “What from?”

“You wouldn’t believe it, Akaashi.” Bokuto lowered his voice and his eyes twinkled with unconcealed excitement. There must be a great story behind that scar. “Take a guess.”

Few men have lived long enough to put scars on Bokuto. So the ones he did have always came with thrilling tales involving famous warriors, mysterious masters they’d never heard of and the like. It would take someone with incredible skill to land a hit on Bokuto’s head, even if it was just a graze. Akaashi could only think of one person capable of doing that. “Ushijima, the Red Stallion.”

“Strangely, we didn’t see him in any of our campaigns. I’m not complaining, but it’s worrying.” Bokuto frowned. In a flash he was grinning again. “Another guess?”

“An assassin.”

Bokuto shook his head, looking more entertained by the second as Akaashi went through names of notable Shiratorizawa horse lords.

“A stray arrow?”

Bokuto stifled a laugh. He was really enjoying this.

Akaashi held up his hands in question. “You tripped over nothing,” he said uncertainly. That’s not entirely impossible. Though he knew his brother was a completely different man on the battlefield from what Konoha had told him of their battles.

“It was an eagle.” Bokuto’s eyes grew wide at the memory and they saw something Akaashi could never imagine. “I’ve never seen one so big. Some of our men got carried off. There’s no other way to say it. They flew and then…” Bokuto trailed off and his face grew paler with every word, “and then they let go.”

In that moment Bokuto was not the Crown Prince. He was only an unfortunate, young man who had seen too much. His skin took on a sickly shade and his hands were clenched into shaking fists so tight his knuckles turned stark white.

Akaashi squeezed his shoulder and gently pulled him behind a tree where no one could see. Bokuto’s breaths came out in rough pants. Akaashi held his face in his hands and made Bokuto look him in the eyes. “You’re home. It will be fine, Bokuto. _You_ will be fine.”

Bokuto breathed in sharply, “How can you be sure?” His eyes began to wander, pupils reduced to pinpricks barely visible in a field of gold. He was shaking so much even though his skin burned hot beneath Akaashi’s hands.

Akaashi was getting desperate. He knew what to do but he was always afraid he couldn’t bring Bokuto back. Bokuto was no green boy on the battlefield despite his few scars. The scars on his psyche however were an entirely different story. “Listen! Listen to me, Bokuto,” Akaashi begged. “Nobody can hurt you here. The Emperor won’t let them. The Empress won’t let them and neither will any of our siblings.” He gripped Bokuto’s shoulders so tightly even if he died right then and there Bokuto’s soul would have trouble leaving his body. “I won’t let them.”

As the minutes passed Bokuto’s breathing began to even out. Slumped against the tree he still seemed a little dazed. Akaashi watched him closely.

Bokuto shook his head, almost dislodging his headpiece.

Akaashi jumped at the sudden movement. _Is he well?_

He nudged Akaashi playfully. “Enough about eagles. I’ve been hearing a lot about a very special fish.” Bokuto waggled his eyebrows. “So have you succumbed to the moon god’s charms yet? I hope he was gentle with my dear brother.”

Akaashi laughed with relief. Against all odds Bokuto always came through. Akaashi instantly felt lighter, all previous anxiety dissolved.

“I’ll have you know,” Akaashi said with a serious face, “that it is only by my great consideration and excellent self-control as a lover that the moon is still in tact.”

They walked for a while in a few steps of refined silence until they were bent over with laughter. Their faces and stomachs hurt so much, but it was the good sort of pain.

“Come, I’ll show it to you. I don’t think I’d be wrong in saying it’s the most beautiful fish in the world.”

“All men say that about their lovers,” Bokuto sniggered.

“What a shame you haven’t said that about anyone then. Is the Crown Prince unlucky in love, perhaps?” Akaashi flashed him a smug smile while Bokuto pouted and complained about not having enough time to actually meet lovely ladies.

When they reached his chambers Akaashi stopped Bokuto for a moment. Akaashi raised a finger to his lips and said quietly, “Shh, it startles easily with loud noises since it can’t see outside the tub.”

Bokuto nodded and kept his footsteps as light as he could possibly make them.

Akaashi’s palace was not as large as the other princes’. In fact, his palace was not originally built to house a prince. It once belonged to his teacher and dear friend, Tsukishima Akiteru. It didn’t have all the jade and gold finery of a prince’s palace or a dedicated bathroom with water scented with oils and incense. Nonetheless it was a beautiful place that was quiet and peaceful with its small, private gardens and it was close to the imperial libraries. To Akaashi it was perfect. When Tsukishima left the palace he made it his home.

Approaching the wooden tub the fish swam happily in, Akaashi greeted it and dipped his fingers in the water. As always the fish nibbled his fingers. Akaashi laughed, “Hello, little one.” He waved for Bokuto to come closer. “This is my brother, Bokuto.”

Leaning over the tub Bokuto’s face filled with wonder. “He really is a beautiful fish!”

The fish did a spin, showing off its elegant fins. There, with fins like veils of light floating in water and pearlescent scales it looked like a creature from another world.

“How do you know it’s a he?” Akaashi raised an eyebrow.

“A hunch,” Bokuto smiled.

“Not because everyone is calling it a moon god?”

Bokuto snorted in response. “What do you plan to do with it?”

The fish stopped swimming, looking up at them intently.

“I’m not sure.”

“I think you should keep it.”

The fish immediately perked up, fins flaring out in agreement and fluttering about excitedly.

Akaashi smiled, “I’d like to.”

“Then why not? I’ve never seen you this interested in something before. Not even books. You always stop just short of finishing them before being distracted by another one.”

Indignant at Bokuto’s not entirely untrue observation Akaashi scrunched up his nose and huffed, “Excuse me, your Highness, I have finished many books.”

“How many?”

“More than you.” Akaashi sighed and couldn’t bear to look at the fish. “It feels wrong to keep it with me just because I want it. Animals should be free to live how they want.”

“But, Akaashi–”

He finally made up his mind and silenced his brother with a hand. Somehow, with Bokuto here it helped push him into action. _It would be the right thing to do_ , he told himself. He should have done it days ago before he got too attached. Grabbing the bucket he carried the fish in off the ground he dipped it in the tub. The fish paused in front it before nosing at the water hesitantly. Akaashi gave it an encouraging nod and it obediently curled itself up in the bucket.

Together they walked to his favourite lotus pond. Lingering a few steps behind him, Bokuto remained uncharacteristically quiet. Akaashi kept glancing back to check if he was alright, but it seemed Bokuto was doing the same, carefully watching over Akaashi.

It wasn’t the season for the lotuses to bloom yet, but the pond still had its handsome leaves. Wide and round, it would provide excellent shade when summer came. The fish would definitely be happier here, instead of being confined to a bathtub.

Reaching the bucket out over the railing Akaashi slowly tipped it upside down. For a moment the fish was suspended in a stream of water. In a flash his eyes met with the fish’s black ones. It was probably his imagination but he thought the fish was telling him they would see each other again and that he should visit the pond often.

All the same, his heart hurt when the fish plopped into the water with a final splash and swam away among a forest of lotus stalks, disappearing beneath the leaves.

_It’s just a fish_ , he told himself.

+

Deep into the night when even spirits kept quiet a crow flew over the palace walls. As it descended its legs lengthened and its shadow morphed and changed in the moonlight. Inky black feathers grew and unfurled into a cloak that draped over the strong, broad shoulders of a young man.

“Is it really you, Koushi? Haven’t seen you in half a century.” Daichi, who was a crow a moment ago, leaned over the carved railing of the bridge to peer into the depths below. “We all thought you got eaten.” He was relieved more than anything, of course, but that didn’t stop his irritation from seeping into his tone.

From the watery shadows below the silver fish emerged. As soon as it broke the surface of the water it changed in a shattered prism of light and shimmering droplets. Amongst the dark green lotus leaves where a fish once was there was a lithe man with silvery hair, more beautiful than any of the surrounding blossoms would be when they bloomed in summer. He grinned and waved a pale, webbed hand glistening with fine scales. Tail unfurling behind him, he swam closer to the bridge.

Daichi clicked his tongue and shook his head. _Always so carefree and oblivious to the dangers of the world_. Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but smile back. Sometimes he wondered how Koushi had survived through all these centuries. Then again, he had been living most of his life at the bottom of a well. Daichi couldn’t imagine much danger could befall his friend in such a secluded place.

“You're over reacting, Daichi. I was only gone for a few decades.” Koushi waved a nonchalant hand and smiled easily. He looked up at Daichi with amber eyes that sparkled with emotion. “But thank you for caring,” he added sincerely.

Groaning, Daichi dragged a hand down his face. “That’s fifty years, Koushi.”

“Can crows count that high?” Koushi laughed, he leapt and slapped his back onto the water, splashing an unimpressed Daichi.

“Can fish remember that long?” Daichi retorted. “Where were you?” Completely unruffled, Daichi shook out his boots, flinging droplets onto the ground. This was a common occurrence in befriending spirits who live in water.

Koushi floated peacefully on his back, his long fins fluttering ever so slightly in the water. His eyes drifted shut. He was silent for so long Daichi thought he had fallen asleep. Just as Daichi readied to flick a pebble at him Koushi’s mouth curled into a smile. It wasn’t his usual ones that were full of unbridled joy though.

“I was in the Spirit World,” Koushi said quietly.

“And what happened,” Daichi paused, apprehension churning in his gut, “while you were there?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of background info:
> 
> The Imperial Harem  
> So far the Empress, Consort Nagahara (Akaashi's mother) and Lady Akiyama (Konoha's mother) are mentioned in passing. The ranking system in this story is loosely based on the ranking system of the Chinese Imperial Harem during the Tang Dynasty. There is only one Empress, four Consorts and many Ladies of differing ranks within that group. In general the ranking in descending order of power is Empress-->Consort-->Lady
> 
> Names  
> You'll notice that all the princes and their mothers appear to have different last names. That's because they're names given to them by the Emperor. Not their actual last name. They have their birth name, for example, Keiji. But he's officially referred to as Akaashi preceded by the appropriate title. In this case "Fifth Prince Akaashi". Very rarely would anyone in the royal family call anyone by their birth name as it is very intimate. 
> 
> The names of women in the Imperial Harem work similarly to the above. They are stripped of their family names and only have the name given to them by the Emperor and their birth name.


	3. The Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koushi explores his new home and there is an unexpected surprise.

While Koushi the Fish lived in the lotus pond he saw many new things he’d only heard Daichi describe to him when he lived at the bottom of the well. One of these things was the dawn. Of course he knew what dawn was. It was when the sun rose in the mortal world. The sun moved across the sky and Koushi knew this from watching the waxing and waning light at the opening of the well far above him like his own personal moon. The mortal world was full of changes while the Spirit World Koushi visited from time to time was shrouded in the eternal glow of twilight.

The first time he saw the sun rise he foolishly stared at the burning, golden disc cresting the palace walls. He hissed in pain, dipping his head back beneath the water hoping to cool his eyes. Daichi cawed with laughter, already changing shape back into a large crow. “You’re so clumsy in the mortal world! The sun is beautiful, but don’t stare at it. It’s not like the moon. Besides, staring is rude–according to humans anyway.” 

Suga shook his head to clear away the afterimage seared into his eyes. More cautiously this time, he watched the sun continue to rise. The sky stretched on forever in every direction. So unlike a meagre circle of it he saw from the bottom of the well. It was beautiful. The stars faded to be replaced by washes of pink, lavender, and coral artfully smeared onto the blue landscape of the sky that gradually became brighter with every passing moment.

When he cast his eyes away from the sky to see around him he saw moths fluttering back to their hiding places and flowers opening up, reaching ever so slightly towards the warmth of the sun. Koushi wondered when the lotuses around him would bud and flower. He’d look forward to that.

It was at that moment that Daichi squawked urgently at him before taking off on dark wings, “I’m afraid I can’t stay much longer. But Koushi, change back into a fish!”

Koushi gaped at his friend of several thousand years. “Are you abandoning me?”

Daichi swiveled his head and jabbed his beak towards one of the many bridges on the far side of the pond. Koushi followed his gaze and understood. A group of humans was approaching. They were arranged in two neat lines: on one side were men with tall, black hats and on the other were women with pretty faces and skirts billowing around their ankles. Each of them were carrying lacquered boxes with gorgeous carved handles. 

He dived to the safety of the depths below. Water rippled and glowed around him as his form contracted to a single point only to burst with a sigh into scales and silky fins. He was a small fish again when he dared to swim back up to the surface to try and take a look at the humans. Koushi desperately wanted to know what they were doing. Where were they going? Were they all wearing the same clothes because they were kin? What was inside those boxes? Everything was so new he could hardly stop the torrent of questions in his mind.

When they came by the bridge he now lived nearby he didn’t see much aside from their shoes, but even that was exciting. The men wore big, black boots with pointy toes that curved up at the ends while the women wore dainty ones embroidered with flowers as pretty as their faces. The humans came and went. He thought about following them. The problem was he didn’t know this pond very well and all the bridges looked the same to him. It was also huge without any of the slate-grey stone that encircled him at his previous home in the well. 

With no strange, new humans to look at he sank down in the pond to meditate on a leaf he was fond of. It was a huge leaf with a springy stalk and was as green as jade with fine veins, like it was painted by a loving hand. Koushi liked the way the light made dappled patterns on the underside of the leaf. 

Focusing on the leaf he felt touches of light and colour greet him. He appreciated them for only a moment and let them go. He could taste the cool water that flowed around him as he floated in it, fins billowing around him. He felt it and let it go. Thoughts flitted in and out of the boundaries of his mind. He let them go.

His mind quieted and his heart was as still as a mirror. The gate to his soul was open.

He never knew how long he meditated for time did not exist and neither did he. He was one with nothingness: the song of creation.

Then there was a shadow.

He was yanked out of his mind with a startling gasp. For some reason unknown to him he felt compelled to leap out of the water. The mud, plants and water all became a blur as he rushed past them and shot out of the water. Droplets slid off his scales and flung off the tips of his fins. He was floating in air for a moment that stretched for an eternity.

Prince Akaashi was there. Surprise coloured his face, which then turned into a smile. The smile was a small, upward curl of his lips, but his green eyes narrowed and sparkled with joy at the sight of Koushi.

Koushi plopped back into the water with a neat splash. He swam back to the surface, mouth agape. 

“I see that you’re happy,” the prince chuckled. 

Koushi liked the pond better than the well, but he was especially happy because Akaashi was here. He wished he could use words. However, even Koushi knew a talking fish would frighten a human. Even if the human in question was a prince he knew. Instead he swam in a happy circle to show the prince how content he was.

Akaashi watched with fondness and rested his hand on the railing. “You must be hungry, yes?”

Before Koushi could think of a way to tell him the algae here was delicious the prince drew a small pouch from his sleeve. Akaashi threw a handful of small pellets into the water. 

“Try these.” Akaashi gave him an encouraging nod. 

Koushi curiously nosed at a pellet. He gulped it down slowly, rolling it around in his mouth. It wasn’t as mushy as algae and it was flavourful with things he didn’t know the names of. It tasted interesting. Koushi thought with all his might,  _ I think I like it!  _ He hoped maybe the prince would understand somehow.

“I will come to feed you every day. Would you like that?” 

Koushi leapt out of the water immediately and Akaashi laughed deep from his chest. 

True to his word the prince returned every morning with fish pellets and Koushi would fly out of the water to greet him. Without fail, it made the prince’s eyes bright with joy. Koushi lived for his smiles and yearned for his laughter.

Mornings quickly became Koushi’s favourite time of day.

His second favourite time of day was deep into the night when the sky was darkest and the stars were brightest. He felt most at ease during this hour when he assumed his true form. He stretched his arms and tail out as far as he could before casting his eyes towards the stars. He'd always wonder,  _ Is the prince looking at the same stars right now? Is he sleeping well?  _ Then, for the thousandth time he'd sigh, “Oh, Daichi, do you think he remembers me?”

Daichi was perched atop the railing as usual. Heaving an exasperated sigh he picked at the jet black feathers on his cloak. “There’s more to the world than a mortal prince. He was so little when you met him I wouldn't be surprised if he had no memory of the experience. Besides, who would want to remember such an awful thing?”

Koushi pouted and disappeared beneath the water blowing bubbles. 

Completely undaunted by Koushi's disappearance Daichi asked loudly, “Have you explored the rest of this water garden yet?” Koushi would never stray too far no matter how upset he was. Daichi only worried about how the water might warp his voice, but Koushi had always been a good listener.

Koushi’s head popped out of the water with a quiet splash. “No,” he admitted sheepishly, avoiding Daichi's eyes. 

Daichi raised an eyebrow. Koushi the Very Curious Fish not exploring? Now this was intriguing. “And why not?”

“I’m worried I’d get lost.” 

Daichi stared at him, unimpressed. “You’re worried you’d get lost.”

Koushi sank to the bottom of the pond again.

“And?” Daichi prodded him, following the familiar silver-white shimmer beneath the water with his gaze until Koushi reemerged.  

Koushi fidgeted with the webs between his fingers and began to ramble, “I’m worried I’ll never be able to find this bridge again. He comes to this bridge only to feed me. I don’t want to lose that connection no matter how small it is.”

“Koushi, what am I?”

“A fool?” 

Daichi huffed and rolled his eyes with impatience. 

Koushi grinned. “A bird. Please don't be angry.”

“Exactly. I'm a crow. I can fly and see everything in this garden and beyond. If you get lost I can always help you. Don’t forget that, Koushi.”

Koushi’s heart swelled with happiness. How could he forget? He was worrying pointlessly after all. He happily flopped onto his back and watched the stars, enjoying the feeling of water slapping on his skin. 

Beside him on the bridge Daichi grumbled, “Was that on purpose?” He was dripping from head to toe.

“Maybe.” Koushi’s teeth glinted in the dark. “What star is that one?”

+

The next day Koushi could barely stay still from all the excitement humming beneath his skin. With Daichi’s parting words (“You should see more of the world. It would do you good.”) he felt confident enough to explore the lotus pond. If he got lost his friend would be there to help him. Daichi said so himself.

Of course, he couldn’t leave just yet. He waited under a leaf for the most precious thing in the world: a prince’s smile.

The prince was...difficult to look at. The word wasn’t quite right for Koushi. It wasn’t that the prince was unsightly. Quite the opposite, truth be told. Looking at the prince was like looking at the sun. He couldn’t look directly at Akaashi. When he did something inside him wrenched and burned his soul, pulling him towards the prince. The feeling was different to yearning or desire. No, it was more intense, like a sort of all-consuming, insatiable hunger. 

It frightened him. 

As he pondered this strange hunger within him the surface of the water became speckled with pellets. His heart leapt, but his body soared higher, bursting out of the water.

Akaashi was leaning over the railing to see him. His face was alight with laughter and Koushi had never seen it so close. 

He was so close in that one moment he could see himself suspended in their air reflected in the prince’s bright green eyes. As he plummeted back towards the water a passing thought whispered in a rush of air,  _ I want him _ .

Koushi shook so much his fins fluttered erratically around him. Why was he shaking so much? He’s used to the cold, but it couldn’t be that. Beneath his scales he was on fire and his bones felt like they would splinter from the heat.

He had to get away.

“You look different today,” the prince said with a worried frown. “Are you happy?”

Koushi panicked. His form was falling apart. Forcing his scales to clamp shut together he tried his best to swim in a circle for the prince like he always did. He wasn’t sure how convincing it was since he was in so much pain. As soon as he finished he dashed far, far away from the prince.

He whipped past thick forests of lotus stalks and stacks of rock slimy with algae. He rushed past throngs of confused koi, blindly shoving them aside with half-formed arms. He had no clue where he was or where he was going. All he knew was he must not be seen by humans.

At last he found a dark, rocky place beneath an overhang waterfall. His true form ripped out of him and he screamed, the sound lost to the roar of the waterfall. His fish form tore at the seams as his body unwillingly rearranged skin and bone. Tears mixed with fresh water. He hugged his tail close to his chest. For a long while everything hurt.

When the pain subsided he uncurled himself. He gave his tail an experimental swish. Nothing felt different. It was still as silvery and pearlescent as before with long, sheer fins trailing after it. He opened and closed his hands and inspected the translucent webbing between his fingers. No rips anywhere. He twisted his torso left and right. Nothing was broken. Raising his hands to either side of his head he checked to see if the fins peeking beneath his hair were ripped. They were perfectly intact. 

Why did he turn back into his true form? He’d never had trouble keeping his fish form before. Koushi stared at his hands. He desperately wanted to go back to the bridge, but he was afraid that a human would see him if he couldn’t hold his form. He’d have to wait until nightfall and ask Daichi to help him. Maybe Daichi would know something about this too. He knew many things Koushi could only imagine.

With time to spare Koushi decided to do a bit of exploring like he had originally planned to. He restricted himself to the overhang and dived beneath the water. Small bubbles were everywhere, flying off from the cloudy impact of the waterfall. The current churned around him and tousled his hair. There weren’t many plants here, since the ground was mostly rocks. Only a few water weeds sprouted here and there. As he swam deeper inside the overhang he noticed an unusual coldness in the water and the shadows seemed to take on solid form. It was claustrophobic and oppressive. Something was living deep inside those rocks.

Koushi went in anyway. Maybe it was his curiosity. Or maybe it was his pride of being a several thousand year old spirit. He felt no fear and plunged into its watery depths. His body, pale as moonlight cut through the shadows like light itself. Soon, he heard someone sobbing and his heart ached for them.

In the middle of all that darkness Koushi found a watery spectre whose legs faded to nothing and hair as green as algae. Atop of his head was a little sprout of hair swaying along with the current. 

“Greetings,” Suga said gently. This poor thing was an unfortunate soul.

The spectre froze and scrabbled away from Koushi, retreating further into the rocks. “W-w-what are you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't had such an easy time writing something in so long OAO This chapter just came out and the words were there. Overall, a great feeling! 
> 
> Some clarification on the many forms of spirits. So far we've seen both Daichi and Suga switch between their animal forms and their humanoid forms. There's a distinction between the two.
> 
> Their animal forms are their **original forms**. Any living thing can become a spirit if it lives long enough. Before animals become spirits they're ordinary animals with no special abilities. That's their original form. When spirits have children, their children are born as spirits, but weaker than their parents due to inexperience. This is why they take their children to the mortal world where other spirits are less likely to eat them.
> 
> In Daichi's humanoid form he has a feathered cloak draped over one shoulder. It looks like a cloak, but it's actually a single wing left over from his original form. For Suga he has his tail, fins and webbed fingers. These are called their **true forms**. Their true forms are who they really are on the inside. For this reason it's possible for their true form to change as they gain experience.


	4. The Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koushi tries to help his new friend and Akaashi gets slapped.

“Stay back!” the water ghost screamed. Ink-black water churned and thickened into sludge. Shadows colder than a killer’s heart clung to the water ghost. “I know what you are, demon!”

“I am not a demon.” Koushi floated through the water, his tail trailing slowly behind him. He approached the water ghost carefully, swimming closer to the ground to show he meant no harm. No matter how tempestuously the shadows moved they shrank away from his glowing skin, afraid to touch him. “I’m a fish spirit. I’m not here to hurt you.” He stopped a short distance away from the water ghost cowering at the back of the overhang.

For a moment a freckled face pale with fear peeked out of the sludge before black clouded over it again. “That’s exactly what a demon would say!”

Suga chuckled, “You have a fair point.” He sank down onto a rock and curled up his tail beneath him. Koushi let the water ghost be as he shielded himself from Koushi with thick, inky clouds.

“You’re waiting for the right moment to eat me, aren’t you?” a small voice whimpered in the dark.

“Actually, I’m lost. I can’t leave here until nightfall, lest I be seen by humans.”

“Why does that matter? You demons are stronger than humans.”

“Humans can do terrible things too.”

“That’s true,” the water ghost admitted quietly more to himself than Koushi.

“Will you keep me company until then? What is your name?”

For a long time the water ghost did not answer. Koushi was a patient spirit. He closed his eyes and listened to the waterfall, feeling the echoes of the current brush over his scales.

“Yamaguchi Tadashi.” The words left his lips like a breath he had been holding for an eternity. “It feels strange hearing my name again.”

“I think it’s a lovely name. How did you end up this way, if you don’t mind me asking?”

With nothing else to do, or perhaps a brief escape from loneliness, the water ghost began his story. And what an unfortunate story it was.

“I was a eunuch, new to the palace. I did menial chores at first, but because I was diligent I was assigned to Lady Akiyama’s palace within a year. It was the best thing to ever happen to me. I was proud of my hard work. It was supposed to be my first day at Lady Akiyama’s palace so of course I didn’t want to be late. I was responsible for bringing her breakfast. More importantly, the Emperor was going to be there. I was both excited and afraid. I’d never seen the Emperor before. Some people live in the palace their entire lives without once seeing the Emperor. The Imperial Kitchens were the furthest from Lady Akiyama’s palace though. I didn’t want the food getting cold so I decided to take a shortcut along the path over this waterfall. It was raining that day. Nothing heavy, just a light drizzle. I never slipped either. As I crossed the bridge I thought I heard someone calling for help in the water, but saw no one. The shouts for help didn’t stop, so I put the lacquered box on the ground and had a look over the bridge.

Something happened, I don’t know what. There was a moment where my memory was wiped clean. When I came to I was surrounded by water. I couldn’t see which direction was the surface. Water everywhere, too much water and no escape in sight. The more I tried to reach the surface, wherever it was, the heavier my body became, like there were lead weights strung to my bones. My lungs were on fire, but everything else was so cold. Water flooded into me and it burned and it hurt. I prayed for death to make it stop.

With my own eyes I saw my body sink to the bottom of the pond to the water weeds. How can that be when I was still drowning? I died without realising it. Even now I’m still drowning. The pain never stopped for even a second.

Eventually, I found the surface. There, I also found horror. On the bridge was a servant girl I didn’t know. She couldn’t see me. But _I_ could see her. Something ugly sprouted in me. I wanted her. I wanted her to take my place in the water so that I could breathe, so that the pain would stop. As soon as that thought entered my mind she began to climb over the railing. Luckily, one of her friends rushed over to stop her. Ever since then I’ve been hiding here. I don’t want that to happen ever again.”

Yamaguchi finished with a heavy exhale. The dark shadows around him grew several shades lighter before dissipating entirely, tangled up emotions loosened around his heart. “Telling you all this actually feels kind of good, like a heavy weight has been lifted from my chest. O-or is this part of the trap?”

“Well, I could have eaten you while you were telling me your story. Besides, wouldn’t water ghosts taste bland? Not very good for eating. Fish, though! I’ve heard fish are very good for eating. I should be more afraid of you eating me!”

“You said earlier you got lost, yes?” Yamaguchi asked tentatively. “Where do you need to go? I know the way around the palace.”

At sundown when the night crept across the sky Yamaguchi led Koushi back to the bridge, all the while keeping his eyes trained to the swaying stalks of various aquatic plants. He hardly looked up unless he had to, for fear of seeing another human.

Koushi was very impressed. To him, all the bridges looked the same, but Yamaguchi knew the place like the back of his hand.

“I had to memorise every garden when I first entered the palace. There are an awful lot of gardens here for people with no time to enjoy them. Except for ladies of the imperial court. Even then they usually spend time in their own private palaces,” Yamaguchi explained.

As usual, Daichi was there. Relief spread across his face. He almost leapt into the pond himself. “There you are!” He reached as far as he could to ruffle Koushi’s hair. He didn’t often do that. It served more as reassurance that his friend was really there. “I thought you had disappeared to the Spirit World without telling anyone again.”

Koushi grinned at the rare show of physical affection. Daichi was normally gruff to begin with. Perhaps a bit serious at times, but he had a secret soft side. “No, something else happened.”

With those few words Daichi’s face creased with worry.

Koushi gestured next to him where the water ghost floated, hesitant to approach. Koushi understood. It must be disorientating to be a human unwillingly and so callously thrust into this side of the world. “This is my friend, Yamaguchi. He lives behind the waterfall. This is Daichi. He’s a crow spirit.”

“Thank you, Yamaguchi, for looking after him.” Daichi crossed his arms and jerked his head at Koushi. “This fish can be troublesome sometimes. I swear, you’re either a recluse at peace with the world down at the bottom of your well or running around wreaking all kinds of havoc. There’s no middle ground with you.”

“Daichi, I need your help.” Koushi reached up and tugged at Daichi’s pant leg.

“When have you never needed my help?”

Koushi told him about how his original form almost tore at the seams, how he had no choice but to stay in his true form waiting for nightfall. With every word Daichi’s face grew darker and darker. Dread marked Koushi’s heart. His form falling apart, the prince–it had something to do with _that_ , didn’t it?

“Tell me about when you met the prince in the Spirit World again.” Daichi rested his elbows on the railing and tented his fingers in contemplation. Even without Koushi telling him everything he saw an inkling of truth just dancing beyond sight. “Don’t leave anything out this time.”

Koushi averted his eyes. He told Daichi the story much the same as before. How he found a four year old Akaashi on the shores of the Great Divide, trying to catch up to his mother. His mother was beyond saving. Akaashi on the other hand, he still had his feet. There was still time. Just barely enough.

Koushi turned away from Daichi and Yamaguchi altogether. Yamaguchi was brimming with questions, but beside him Koushi could feel seething rage emanating from Daichi.

“You fool! Ingrate!” Daichi’s palm cracked down on the railing as suddenly as the truth revealed itself to him. The wood splintered and smoldered as lightning crackled around Daichi’s knuckles. His eyes flickered between human irises and utter blackness. Pin feathers erratically pricked black dots all over his skin. “Do you have any idea what you have done?”

“If I could turn back time I would still make the same choice.” Koushi turned his head to the side, catching sight of Daichi out of the corner of his eye. He was too ashamed to face Daichi.

But Daichi was no longer in his true form. In his place was a frightening explosion of feathers, skin and bones rearranging themselves. At his core was scarlet rage and lightning. “You chose foolishness!” His roar turned into a monstrous screech as dark wings took flight into the night.

For a moment there was silence. No traces of Daichi were left behind save the smouldering splinters on the railing. Daichi was gone.

Yamaguchi’s eyes were so large they might pop out of their sockets. He pointed at the bridge, mouth opening and closing.

“I am so sorry you had to see that, Yamaguchi.” Koushi buried his face in his hand. He knew what he did was taboo and he knew for certain Daichi would disapprove no matter the circumstances. In the end he couldn’t tell Daichi, but he couldn’t hide it from Daichi’s sharp intelligence either.

“Th-that was…!”

“I know transformations can look violent, but I assure you, Daichi is a good spirit.”

“That was amazing!” exclaimed Yamaguchi.

+

With Daichi gone they didn’t get to ask him about water ghosts and if there was a way for Yamaguchi to pass on without drowning someone else as a substitute. Water ghosts were closely tied to their place of death. Often, after generations of water ghosts the place accumulated negative energy, attracting more potential victims. According to Koushi’s knowledge, it’s the only way. Any other method for a water ghost to pass on was unprecedented. He was hoping that Daichi might have some insight no matter how small the chance was. How was he to tell Yamaguchi there was probably no other way? The fate of a water ghost is a cruel thing.

Before the sun rose Yamaguchi hurried back to his waterfall and Koushi turned back into a fish.

Servants and eunuchs bustled about like clockwork, ready to serve their masters. Eventually their feather-light footsteps flitted away. Koushi swam back and forth alongside the bridge, unable to meditate at all. The fine veins on the lotus leaves failed to calm him and the rippling water did not lull his mind into gentle awareness. So when little red dots rained down on its surface Koushi was scared out of his wits.

Upon recognising the fish pellets he thought of the prince. He knew he shouldn’t leap out of the water. He knew he should only look at the prince’s feet to keep his form from coming undone at the seams. But he couldn’t help himself. He had to see Akaashi.

He saw, he fell, he was disappointed.

He lingered near the surface, ruefully turning his back on the man who fooled him. _You’re not Prince Akaashi._ The man on the bridge was as handsome as Akaashi, if not more radiant. He wore brown leather riding boots, similar to the kind Daichi liked to manifest when masquerading as a human. He had forest-green robes embroidered with bronze running stags. Though dressed in finery none of it compared to his hair. It shone like pale sunlight down to his waist. Atop his head was a top-knot held in place by a headpiece of jewels and feathers.

“Akaashi wants you to know...that he...uh...he won’t be here for a while,” the mystery man finished uncertainly. “Komiyan, this is so awkward! Are you sure Akaashi talks like this to the fish everyday? Is he really not making a fool of me? I can’t even tell if the fish understands what I’m saying, let alone whether or not it remembers Akaashi.”

Komi bowed as a formality before whispering conspiratorially in this mystery prince’s ear, “Prince Konoha, you only just returned from the Eastern Coast, so you probably haven’t heard of the rumours.”

“Rumours?”

“The most entertaining kind.” Komi nodded solemnly, a grin threatening to split his face. He refrained speaking to add suspense, but Komi couldn’t resist and out came a summarised retelling of his favourite rumours with all the juicy bits kept in. “Some say this fish is Consort Nagahara’s reincarnation. Prince Akaashi brought the fish out of the well on the death of her anniversary, after all. The other theory is that the fish is actually the moon god. So besotted with the prince that he became a fish to come woo him.” Komi choked on laughter he tried to stifle. “I’m not sure how a fish can seduce a human, but I’m sure it’s trying very hard.”

If a fish could blush Koushi was blushing right now. He didn’t know about any of this.

“Moon god? I like that rumour, let’s go with that one,” decided Konoha. “Moon god, do you spirit away our fifth prince every night to make love to him?”

Komi slapped a hand over Konoha’s mouth. “Shush! Prince Konoha! That’s filthy!”

Komi’s efforts only amused Konoha. He wrested Komi’s hand away from his mouth laughing, “I hope you do.”

“That is not how a prince should speak! By the gods, where are your manners?”

Komi was ready to explode from embarrassment. So was Koushi. He would not be surprised if his scales had all turned red.

All traces of mischief left Konoha’s face and his expression softened. “Out of all the people in the world Akaashi could do with more love in his life. Someone to make him laugh and take him away from books for a moment. Make him live and breathe in the real world. I worry for him. Every time I come back I’m half afraid I’ll enter the palace and hear that he has died quietly with a book in his hand. Granted, it’s how he would want to leave this world, but let’s not have that happen until he’s all wrinkly and hunched over with age.”

Komi tensed, unsure if he should make Konoha shut up after hearing Konoha voice the same worries he had about Akaashi.

“Well?” Konoha demanded. “Pick up the pace, moon god!”

Koushi fluttered about in a panic. What was he supposed to do? He wasn’t sure what humans expected of magic fish.

“This is the part where you’re supposed to turn into a beauty so I can put you in Akaashi’s bed.”

Koushi couldn't handle it anymore. This prince is too much. He hid under a leaf and curled up into an embarrassed ball of fins and scales.

“Prince Konoha, you’ve delivered the message. Don’t you have to visit Lady Akiyama?”

“Ah, yes, of course. I mustn’t make my lady mother wait. Farewell, moon god.”

Their jolly banter faded away, but Koushi's embarrassment did not. He grew flustered at the thought of being with the prince so intimately. A part of him wondered what it would be like. He remembered the night Akaashi took him to his chambers. The wooden grain of the tub felt like home to him than his well. Akaashi had touched him so gently. Long fingers gliding over scales. Would it be like that? Would Akaashi touch him like that in his true form? Oh, that would be lovely. Careful hands sliding up his back, wandering across his skin. He imagined Akaashi's hands in his hair caressing his fins and skin pressed against skin, human legs sliding up against his fish tail. Koushi shivered and covered his eyes. He shouldn't have such uncouth thoughts. How dare Konoha, a mere mortal, plant these filthy ideas in his head. He promptly tried to meditate to empty his mind. No matter how hard he tried he simply couldn't stop thinking about Konoha’s words.

+

After a few wrong turns in the pond Koushi managed to find his way to Yamaguchi. The sun had long since retired and Koushi knew Daichi was still too angry to see him. Nonetheless, Yamaguchi was a gentle spirit and easy to get along with. He could spend forever praying Yamaguchi could escape his fate as a water ghost, but wishing for such things was fruitless. He only needed to find a good way to tell Yamaguchi this unfortunate news.

Yamaguchi was just behind the waterfall. He floated through the cloud of bubbles to greet Koushi. “Are things alright with Daichi?”

Koushi gave him a wan smile. “I still haven’t seen him. Don’t worry about me.” Koushi smacks Yamaguchi on the arm. “Daichi and I have been through worse. If I leave him alone for a bit he’ll come back.”

“Are you two childhood friends?” Yamaguchi quickly mutters to himself, “Wait, do spirits have things like childhood?”

“We’ve been friends for thousands of years.” Koushi smiles at the memories. “We’ve known each other since he was a fledgling and I was still small. So I suppose we do count as childhood friends. Yamaguchi, there’s something I need to tell you.” He watches the young ghost with a guarded expression.

Yamaguchi was young, but for a moment ancient wisdom coloured his freckled face. “There’s no other way is there?”

“I am afraid there isn’t. I am so sorry.”

Yamaguchi steeled himself, sucking in a breath. “Alright. How do I do it? Do I have any powers? Can I transform?” he asked hopefully.

Koushi was surprised with how well Yamaguchi was adapting. Yamaguchi really was something else; an exceptional human being. “You can’t transform like Daichi can.” Yamaguchi’s face fell. _He must have been extremely impressed with Daichi._ Koushi laughs lightly and adds, “However, water ghosts do have a subtle form of mind control that lures their human substitutes to the water. The mind control grows stronger with each passing generation of water ghost. I’m not sure how many have been before you though.

“I’d rather be able to transform.”

“Yamaguchi, are you sure you are ready for this?”

“What choice do I have?” Yamaguchi’s voice is quiet and strained, barely more than a whisper.

Koushi always wondered who the first water ghost to exist was. How did it come to be that a water ghost must commit murder to pass on? Perhaps the first one appeared out of the ether like so many other deities and spirits.

“There’s no rush, Yamaguchi. It’s alright to be afraid.”

Yamaguchi’s face crumpled as he began to sob. “I just want it to stop.” Even though they were underwater Yamaguchi scrubs at his face with his sleeve out of human reflex.

Koushi twined his arm around Yamaguchi’s. “Come, let’s go for a stroll. You have to teach me the way around the water garden.” Yamaguchi was in pain. A distraction would do him good.

Once Yamaguchi had calmed down enough to talk again he was being incredibly stubborn. He kept broaching the issue of finding a substitute. The boy was desperate to pass on. He hadn’t forgotten the condition though.

“What sort of substitute would you choose, then? You have a good heart. I know you’d rather not, but to pass on there is no other option.”

“Someone elderly. Or maybe someone close to death? No, no. I can’t torture the elderly or the sick with pain like this.” Yamaguchi continued muttering to himself suggesting possible options and then listing reasons why those options weren’t viable all in one breath.

Koushi could hardly get a word in. He soon gave up and let Yamaguchi spill out his thoughts to clear his mind. As they wandered about the water gardens they chanced upon a lone candle flickering in the dark. The candle was barely more than a red stub floating in molten wax. Its waning light barely illuminated a small pavilion where four bridges converged. The geometric lattice work that adorned it painted transient shadows on the water. Staggering in half light and half shadow was a man falling apart. The man was just as pale as the candle light, but his cheeks burned red. His eyes burned even brighter. He lifted up a crudely made jug for a drink. Most of it ended up on the front of his robes and he laments,

“ _Though I draw my sword to cut water, water keeps flowing forevermore_ _  
_ _I raise my cup to drown my sorrows, sorrow grows heavier than before._ ”

Yamaguchi clung onto Koushi who jokingly suggested, “How about him? No one would surprised he drowned since he has been drinking that special water.”

“Special water?”

“Daichi told me the name, but I’ve forgotten. The special water that makes humans all red and wobbly.”

“It’s called wine.” Yamaguchi smiled sadly. “Tsukki does have a penchant for wine. I wish he wouldn’t drink so much though. I’m worried for him.”

“A friend?”

“My best friend.” Yamaguchi’s breath cut off with a gasp. He clutched at his chest where his heart was supposed to beat. A foreign, vicious hunger darted about his eyes, glancing at the living soul in the pavilion. Drunk, unaware, pliant. It would be so easy. Suddenly fear contorts his freckled face and words escape from his tightening throat like frightened prey, “We have to leave. I don’t want to— _please!_ ”

Koushi wrapped his arms around Yamaguchi’s waist. Yamaguchi fought against him with a ferocity uncharacteristic of the timid boy. However, a water ghost was no match for a three thousand year old fish spirit. With a few swishes of his strong tail he dragged Yamaguchi into the deep, far away from the man in the pavilion. The further away they went the less Yamaguchi struggled. The hunger disappeared and the sweet boy Koushi knew returned.

“What happened to your friend to make him so desolate?” Koushi asked curiously.

“I’m afraid that is not my story to tell.” Yamaguchi looked exhausted, his shoulders sagging from struggles both physical and mental.

They made their way back to Koushi’s bridge. Koushi continued to rub soothing circles into Yamaguchi’s back. _We’ll have to be careful if we come across humans at night. That must have been traumatic for him._ Though the creation of the first water ghost was a mystery to even the oldest beings it was clear that they were human spirits warped by malevolence, pain and misfortune. Thus it was no surprise that water ghosts have never been the most stable of spirits to begin with.

Through a cruel twist of fate, misfortune or what have you there was a cloaked figure with a shining lantern dangling precariously on the end of their bamboo rod on Koushi’s bridge. Yamaguchi froze beside him and he was ready to pull the water ghost away when the figure turned around.

Koushi had only split seconds to transform. When the figure laid eyes on him the last scale had just fallen into place, sliding smoothly over its neighbours.

“Hello, little one.”

Akaashi’s face lit up with joy at the sight of him.

Koushi despaired, trying to push Yamaguchi away.

Yamaguchi spoke.

The voice was Yamaguchi’s, yet it was not the boy who meant those words. “The Tragic Prince. His Majesty, the king, does not love him. His mother is gone. He secludes himself in his palace and wanders about like a lonely spectre without a home. He does not have a future. If I take him, he can meet you in the pond.”

They could be together forever. They would be of the same world. And Yamaguchi would be free. What Yamaguchi’s hunger illuminated was not untrue. For a moment the mere suggestion itself seduced Koushi. He could understand and become closer to Akaashi without the barrier between spirit and mortal.

_He can meet you in the pond._

The prince on the bridge seemed to be in a daze. His eyes were unfocused and glazed over. His eyelids drooped as he tipped towards the water, the lantern began to slip out of his grasp.

Koushi would rather die himself than have Akaashi become a water ghost. He spurred himself on, even with the limited strength of his original form. He flew out of the water as though carried by the wind. The prince was already leaning dangerously over the railing, only a few moments before he would drown in Yamaguchi’s place. In water Koushi’s fins were long and elegant. However, in the air they were heavy and cumbersome. It took all his strength to raise his comparably small fin as far as he could and slap the prince across the face before tumbling back towards the water. The fin slid across Akaashi’s cheek, leaving behind a thin sheen of cold water.

Akaashi jolted awake. He muffled a small yawn behind his sleeve and muttered about needing to sleep earlier. He bid Koushi goodbye with a small wave. Unknown to him, he left behind a crying water ghost curled up around the fish he loved so dearly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been forever! I actually love writing this fic because the world building is so fun. 
> 
> The water ghost is based on the Chinese water ghost (shui gui) with a few tweaks. In most stories, the water ghost very willingly finds a substitute to take their place. Depending on the folk tale the water ghost either passes on to go through reincarnation or possesses the body of the substitute after drowning them. In the fic I picked the reincarnation route and made them more human in their unwillingness to commit murder battling their instincts. This is because they used to be humans in the first place and killing isn't easy for anyone (with a few exceptions, of course). Either way, I find the water ghost to be a very tragic supernatural being.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know your thoughts! ^0^ Kudos and comments always make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.


End file.
